Happy slightly belated new year! 2009 was a pretty darn decent year for pop music. Kanye led a charge of autotuned robots to hold the charts hostage, then led a one-man assault on the VMA's attempt to give redundant awards to every pop star, then stormed a few late-night talk shows before going home to watch "Single Ladies" on repeat and sulk. Miley Cyrus embarrassed everyone else in the recording industry by outselling all their albums with the subpar pop (and hip-hop-country fusion) of The Hannah Montana Movie soundtrack, then really rubbed it in by outselling their singles with her supremely catchy and critically tolerated (if not adored) "Party in the USA." Lady Gaga appeared. And the Black Eyed Peas lured Fergie and will.i.am's egos back to make a few more number one hits as a group.
But as a girl who loves lists and statistics, no year in review can be complete without a countdown of the year's greatest albums. My dreams of reviewing every single significant pop album released this year were crushed when I realized there were five days left in 2009 and I probably had at least 30 albums to listen to, half of which I hadn't even heard of yet. Then my dreams of creating a purely objective list of the undisputabel best albusm of the year were crushed when I looked at Rolling Stone's list and realized I had only listened to one and a half of the albums on it. And so, I settled for my top 20 favorite albums. Still 10 better than Rolling Stone's list. Suck on that.
I'm kind of irrationally terrified of being perceived as some wanna-be hipster indie snob, then being mobbed by the masses of people who secretly despise hipsters (oh, you know you want to strangle them with their designer scarves), so here's a bit of a rationale for why the upper reaches of my list are very indie-heavy:
As great as 2009's singles were, most of them came from albums released in late 2008. Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Kanye... all fall 2008 releases. The Black-Eyed Peas, Shakira, and Rihanna were three of the only major pop artists to release popular albums and singles in 2009. And so, I'd say 2009 was not a great year for the radio-ready pop album. And heck, pop-punk hasn't had a good year since '04. That means it was up for indie, electropop, and alt dance to pick up the slack, and I am happy to report that they stepped up to the task.
And I'd love to list all the albums I meant to listen to but didn't (Adam Lambert, Shakira, Little Boots, Noisettes, Cascada, Florence + The Machine, Andrew Bird, The Bird and the Bee...) and all the perfectly good albums that I'm not including because I don't consider them to be pop albums (Green Day, U2, Jay-Z...), but that would take days, and I would still probably forget somebody important like the Black Eyed Peas and make their fans at least mildly annoyed.
Also, I should note that I am reviewing albums, not EPs, because if we started lumping together compilations of roughly four to eight songs with compilations of roughly nine or more songs, it would just be chaos and anarchy. Sorry Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, NeverShoutNever!, and that other release from Andrew Bird; you won't be on the list.
I'm going to post one review per day for the first 20 days of January, to draw out the suspense. And because writing these reviews can take an effing long time. So without further ado, I will post today's review. And yesterday's I missed. And the one for the day before. Oh gosh, school hasn't even started again, and I'm already behind...
In the meantime, if anyone reading this has their own list of favorite albums and cares enough to post it in the comments section, I'd love to hear some other opinions! [Not that I need ideas... I honestly do have the full list ready; I just like suspense...]
Showing posts with label lady gaga. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lady gaga. Show all posts
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
'Tis the Season...
Ah, 'tis the season for generosity, sappy stories, and happy holiday tunes. In the holiday spirit, I'd like to point you toward some of the most generous music websites out there, and spread some heartwarming stories. (See yesterday's post about my Christmas playlist for more of the holiday tunes.)
First off, I'd love to give you all the gift of great holiday music, but Amazon's already playing Santa for me. In case you haven't heard, their 25 Days of Free promotion is giving out a free Christmas song every day. Today's release: Relient K's beautiful "I Celebrate the Day," one of their most moving songs about struggling to be close to Jesus.
If you're looking for something a little lighter, don't worry - you can still download the other 21 songs released earlier this month. I, of course, had to snatch of a copy of Lady Gaga's deliciously and disturbingly provocative "Christmas Tree" feat. her buddy Space Cowboy. As with all of her songs, her infamous advice to not listen, "just dance" certainly applies with this track.
The only problem with the Amazon giveaway is it works best when you download the songs with their free Amazon MP3 Downloader, and by "it works best," I mean it barely works at all. But rather than crappy software, I prefer to think of it as a daily exercise in meditation and self-restraint. By Christmas, you'll be ready to tackle those pesky plastic packages that can only be cut with knives, no sweat.
If Amazon's 22 free holiday songs aren't enough, you can download 25 free songs at Green Label Sound. No reindeer or baby Jesuses in this collection, but nothing says holiday excess like four versions of "Big Bills" by Flosstradamus. Still, I can't complain about free songs from Matt & Kim and Chromeo. (And okay, Flosstradamus is officially my new fave dance-pop duo.) Maybe I'll make a New Year's resolution to actually listen to all these remixes I just downloaded...
Oh, and for the truly tireless, if you can download those and still stand to download another free remix, LIGHTS is giving out a free download of the Spike Club Mix of her (minor) hit "Ice" to all members of her website. I highly recommend joining, not just because joining is free and lets you comment on all her pictures of her adorable self holding ginormous ninja swords, but also because she and Owl City appear to be Siamese twins when it comes to touring: she's opening for him on both his winter and spring North America tours and squeezing in a Europe tour with him in between. I feel reassured knowing that in case his email list, MySpace blog, and official Street Team don't alert me of one of his concert presales in time, her mailing list will :]
And speaking of their spring tour, you've heard Adam's sneaky presale announcement, right? April 22, Constitution Hall will def be where the party's at. Me and eight of my coolest friends already snatched up our tickets; I suggest you follow suit. I know I haven't gotten around to posting my review of his fall tour yet, but like everything he does, it was fairly magical.
Oh, and speaking of Owl City, Adam sparked a minor panic over his marital status when he tweeted "DING DONG! WEDDING BELLS!" on Friday. He's rumored to be dating Ann Monson (whose tweets he occasionally retweets), but sources relatively close to Adam reassured us crazy fangirls and boys that Adam's not tying the know anytime soon. Coincidentally, Skillet's guitarist Ben Kascia confirmed that Adam was just celebrating a friend's wedding when he tweeted that a friend of his, whose sister is dating Adam, got married on Saturday... It's a small world. A strange, small world.
One pop star did go off the market this weekend, of course: Kevin Jonas married his girlfriend Danielle DeLeasa on Saturday. Details on the "fairy-tale"-like ceremony here. [Be sure to notice the part about the faux-icicles at the New York ceremony. If they'd waited a day, they probably could have gotten a few icicles from Mother Nature, free of charge.] According to People magazine, when Kevin popped the question, Danielle responded "Yes, yes, yes like 500 times super fast in a row." Awww.
Looks like Kevin and Danielle won't be getting much of a honeymoon, though - the JoBros are slated to perform at the Walt Disney World Christmas Parade this Friday. Pity; they're some of the only pop stars I can think of who probably wait until the honeymoon.
Wait - this just in - Inspirational Story Alert!
If you love a good overcoming-adversity-to-sing-tear-jerking-ballads story, well, you probably already watched Charice Pempengco perform on Oprah. But in case you didn't, meet one of the most adorable Asian exports since Hello Kitty. During interviews, this Filipina singer looks like a harmless little ball of cuteness, but put her onstage and the girl can sing. Her unbelievably strong vocals have drawn rave reviews from everyone from David Foster to Josh Groban, who says she has one of the most beautiful voices he's heard in a long time. And to top it off, she's got a great inspirational story about being raised in the Philippines by a single mother. Her mother left with Charice and her brother after their father domestically abused them. After receiving only informal vocal lessons from her mother, she performed well on the American Idol-like singing competition Little Big Star. Her career didn't really take off, however, until videos of her singing reached YouTube. Since then, she's appeared on every talk show ever, as well as in the film Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel. I think her rendition of Alicia Keys' "No One," accompanied by the Chipettes, is sure to become a classic.
Here's a video of Charice performing her new single "Note to God" (sans rodents) on Oprah. And be sure to stay tuned for her adorable interview afterwards, in which she talks about her career, as well as her crushes on Justin Timberlake and Josh Groban. (Spoiler alert: Then Oprah gives everyone Xboxes.)
Also, check her out on David Archuleta's Christmas album singing a duet of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" with him. Treacly Christmas song, American Idol's favorite teddy bear, and a girl whose voice is the only thing better than her back story? Sounds like a downright Christmas miracle.
And finally, before you head over to the fireplace or sip some hot chocolate, here's a video to put you in that warm-n-fuzzy mood. For a song questioning the substance of love in the light of his parents' divorce and his off-again on-again relationship with his girlfriend, NeverShoutNever's new video "What Is Love?" still manages to be incredibly heartwarming.
What Is Love?
nevershoutnever. (new song & video) | MySpace Music Videos
Happy Holidays!
First off, I'd love to give you all the gift of great holiday music, but Amazon's already playing Santa for me. In case you haven't heard, their 25 Days of Free promotion is giving out a free Christmas song every day. Today's release: Relient K's beautiful "I Celebrate the Day," one of their most moving songs about struggling to be close to Jesus.
If you're looking for something a little lighter, don't worry - you can still download the other 21 songs released earlier this month. I, of course, had to snatch of a copy of Lady Gaga's deliciously and disturbingly provocative "Christmas Tree" feat. her buddy Space Cowboy. As with all of her songs, her infamous advice to not listen, "just dance" certainly applies with this track.
The only problem with the Amazon giveaway is it works best when you download the songs with their free Amazon MP3 Downloader, and by "it works best," I mean it barely works at all. But rather than crappy software, I prefer to think of it as a daily exercise in meditation and self-restraint. By Christmas, you'll be ready to tackle those pesky plastic packages that can only be cut with knives, no sweat.
If Amazon's 22 free holiday songs aren't enough, you can download 25 free songs at Green Label Sound. No reindeer or baby Jesuses in this collection, but nothing says holiday excess like four versions of "Big Bills" by Flosstradamus. Still, I can't complain about free songs from Matt & Kim and Chromeo. (And okay, Flosstradamus is officially my new fave dance-pop duo.) Maybe I'll make a New Year's resolution to actually listen to all these remixes I just downloaded...
Oh, and for the truly tireless, if you can download those and still stand to download another free remix, LIGHTS is giving out a free download of the Spike Club Mix of her (minor) hit "Ice" to all members of her website. I highly recommend joining, not just because joining is free and lets you comment on all her pictures of her adorable self holding ginormous ninja swords, but also because she and Owl City appear to be Siamese twins when it comes to touring: she's opening for him on both his winter and spring North America tours and squeezing in a Europe tour with him in between. I feel reassured knowing that in case his email list, MySpace blog, and official Street Team don't alert me of one of his concert presales in time, her mailing list will :]
And speaking of their spring tour, you've heard Adam's sneaky presale announcement, right? April 22, Constitution Hall will def be where the party's at. Me and eight of my coolest friends already snatched up our tickets; I suggest you follow suit. I know I haven't gotten around to posting my review of his fall tour yet, but like everything he does, it was fairly magical.
Oh, and speaking of Owl City, Adam sparked a minor panic over his marital status when he tweeted "DING DONG! WEDDING BELLS!" on Friday. He's rumored to be dating Ann Monson (whose tweets he occasionally retweets), but sources relatively close to Adam reassured us crazy fangirls and boys that Adam's not tying the know anytime soon. Coincidentally, Skillet's guitarist Ben Kascia confirmed that Adam was just celebrating a friend's wedding when he tweeted that a friend of his, whose sister is dating Adam, got married on Saturday... It's a small world. A strange, small world.
One pop star did go off the market this weekend, of course: Kevin Jonas married his girlfriend Danielle DeLeasa on Saturday. Details on the "fairy-tale"-like ceremony here. [Be sure to notice the part about the faux-icicles at the New York ceremony. If they'd waited a day, they probably could have gotten a few icicles from Mother Nature, free of charge.] According to People magazine, when Kevin popped the question, Danielle responded "Yes, yes, yes like 500 times super fast in a row." Awww.
Looks like Kevin and Danielle won't be getting much of a honeymoon, though - the JoBros are slated to perform at the Walt Disney World Christmas Parade this Friday. Pity; they're some of the only pop stars I can think of who probably wait until the honeymoon.
Wait - this just in - Inspirational Story Alert!
If you love a good overcoming-adversity-to-sing-tear-jerking-ballads story, well, you probably already watched Charice Pempengco perform on Oprah. But in case you didn't, meet one of the most adorable Asian exports since Hello Kitty. During interviews, this Filipina singer looks like a harmless little ball of cuteness, but put her onstage and the girl can sing. Her unbelievably strong vocals have drawn rave reviews from everyone from David Foster to Josh Groban, who says she has one of the most beautiful voices he's heard in a long time. And to top it off, she's got a great inspirational story about being raised in the Philippines by a single mother. Her mother left with Charice and her brother after their father domestically abused them. After receiving only informal vocal lessons from her mother, she performed well on the American Idol-like singing competition Little Big Star. Her career didn't really take off, however, until videos of her singing reached YouTube. Since then, she's appeared on every talk show ever, as well as in the film Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel. I think her rendition of Alicia Keys' "No One," accompanied by the Chipettes, is sure to become a classic.
Here's a video of Charice performing her new single "Note to God" (sans rodents) on Oprah. And be sure to stay tuned for her adorable interview afterwards, in which she talks about her career, as well as her crushes on Justin Timberlake and Josh Groban. (Spoiler alert: Then Oprah gives everyone Xboxes.)
Also, check her out on David Archuleta's Christmas album singing a duet of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" with him. Treacly Christmas song, American Idol's favorite teddy bear, and a girl whose voice is the only thing better than her back story? Sounds like a downright Christmas miracle.
And finally, before you head over to the fireplace or sip some hot chocolate, here's a video to put you in that warm-n-fuzzy mood. For a song questioning the substance of love in the light of his parents' divorce and his off-again on-again relationship with his girlfriend, NeverShoutNever's new video "What Is Love?" still manages to be incredibly heartwarming.
What Is Love?
nevershoutnever. (new song & video) | MySpace Music Videos
Happy Holidays!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
It's Alright... I Guess
Yesterday, Ashley Tisdale performed her new single "It's Alright, It's Okay" off her upcoming "edgy rock album" (the news guy's words, certainly not mine), on Good Morning America. The performance offered a fleeting glimpse of what will hopefully be a fleeting phase in her musical career.
The first thing you notice about Ashley Tisdale these days is "Whoa, her hair is brown." While fashion magazines can pore over whether or not this means brunette is yet again the new blond, the most striking thing about Ashley's new locks is that, from a distance, she is now a dead ringer for that other Ashley you thought disappeared years ago, Ashlee Simpson.
Ashley T. seems to be fully embracing the Ashlee S. look, complete with the "Pieces of Me"-era lackluster dance moves. Really, Ashleys, you can't just shake your shoulders willy-nilly. Shake 'em like you mean it, like you really want to thrust your... shoulders... into the camera's personal space. But I guess Ashley T. is still too good a Disney girl for that kind of popstar dancing.
Ashley has delegated all responsibility for destroying that good-girl image to her legs, which are fully embracing their new duty. Sure, she's worn booty shorts before, most notably in the "Be Good to Me" video, which I saw three times in one night while babysitting a four year-old Hannah Montana fanatic. I was torn between my desire to cover her eyes, turn off the TV, and/or spontaneously offer up some ice cream to distract her and my desire to make sure I was actually seeing Ashley Tisdale. In booty shorts. On Disney Channel.
My eyes did not deceive me then, not, unfortunately, did they deceive me yesterday when Ashley wore DIY booty shorts apparently made by hacking off the entire legs of an innocent pair of jeans. In case Ashely's quarter-inch inseam was not eye-catching enough already, a white thing peeked out form each pantleg. Were they handkerchiefs? Were her shorts deemed so inappropriate that the producers demanded she wear white spandex underneath? Did she need Icy Hot patches from all the rigorous lackluster-dance workouts? No, it turned out these white fabric flaps covering her upper thighs were her pockets, which had been somehow spared during the butchering of the rest of her jeans. If only they had been cut off and our fashion sensibility had been spared instead.
Note to the world: cutoffs with the pockets hanging out below the hem line are neither alright nor okay.
And that brings us to the song itself. In another apparent attempt to be Ashlee Simpson, "It's Alright, It's Okay" is a piece of crazy catchy pop-punk that's almost saccharine enough to give you a toothache. The lyrics are far from profound, making it the identical cousin of every other semi-former Disney girl breakout attempt that has been released in the past five years. Its thrashing guitars during the chorus are pleasant enough, but halfway through the chorus, you expect it to turn into "So What" by Pink.
It's alright, okay
I'm so much better without you
I won't be sorry...
So, so what, I am a rock star
I got my rock moves and I don't want you tonight
Every time, I expect her to start singing "So What," and every time she disappoints me.
I know that accusing popstars of ripping off each other's songs leads down a dangerous, slippery slope that even the U.S. legal system dares not tread because halfway to an out-of-court settlement, you realize that there are only so many three chord combinations possible. But really, "It's Alright, It's Okay" sounds like "So What" 's baby sister that tries to replicate her cool older sister's wardrobe with clothes from Club Libby Lu. The result? A toothless yet thrashing girl-powered ode to not needing a man... that utterly lacks conviction.
The song is fun enough to dominate the Radio Disney charts until the Jonas Brothers' new album comes out (oops, too late), but it's still now as good as the best songs from Ashley's last album, to pop gem - okay, that's overstating it; more like sugar crystal - "He Said She Said" and the hilarious piece of ironic social commentary "Not Like That." (excerpt from lyrics: "I'm a normal girl like you who hates clubbing because all those plebes are so effing jealous of my fabulousness")(excerpt may have been paraphrased). I love that song. It's the most danceable piece of ironic social commentary after Millionaires' "Hey Rich Boy" (excerpt from lyrics: Boys if you want girls like me, flash that cash where we can see. You think I want that ice cold money - well, hell yeah, it's fucking yummy!) and Lady Gaga's "Just Dance" (excerpt from lyrics: "I am soooo wasted. Date rape me, Colby!")(Lady Gaga lyrics paraphrased. Millionaires lyrics unaltered.)(No, really, look them up...)(Told you so.)
I'd say Ashley Tisdale's post-High School Musical future is looking even dimmer than Vanessa Hudgens', whose upcoming movie Bandslam looks about as good as any movie whose working title was Rock On! can be expected to look. But hopefully, both these girls' careers will last longer than the cutoff-jeans-with-dangling-pockets look will. Hopefully that look ended, like, right after Ashley's performance.
You can watch the performance and chat with a Good Morning America guy here, at least until ABC catches on to the fact that the person who posted the video probably doesn't own the copyrights to it.
The first thing you notice about Ashley Tisdale these days is "Whoa, her hair is brown." While fashion magazines can pore over whether or not this means brunette is yet again the new blond, the most striking thing about Ashley's new locks is that, from a distance, she is now a dead ringer for that other Ashley you thought disappeared years ago, Ashlee Simpson.
Ashley T. seems to be fully embracing the Ashlee S. look, complete with the "Pieces of Me"-era lackluster dance moves. Really, Ashleys, you can't just shake your shoulders willy-nilly. Shake 'em like you mean it, like you really want to thrust your... shoulders... into the camera's personal space. But I guess Ashley T. is still too good a Disney girl for that kind of popstar dancing.
Ashley has delegated all responsibility for destroying that good-girl image to her legs, which are fully embracing their new duty. Sure, she's worn booty shorts before, most notably in the "Be Good to Me" video, which I saw three times in one night while babysitting a four year-old Hannah Montana fanatic. I was torn between my desire to cover her eyes, turn off the TV, and/or spontaneously offer up some ice cream to distract her and my desire to make sure I was actually seeing Ashley Tisdale. In booty shorts. On Disney Channel.
My eyes did not deceive me then, not, unfortunately, did they deceive me yesterday when Ashley wore DIY booty shorts apparently made by hacking off the entire legs of an innocent pair of jeans. In case Ashely's quarter-inch inseam was not eye-catching enough already, a white thing peeked out form each pantleg. Were they handkerchiefs? Were her shorts deemed so inappropriate that the producers demanded she wear white spandex underneath? Did she need Icy Hot patches from all the rigorous lackluster-dance workouts? No, it turned out these white fabric flaps covering her upper thighs were her pockets, which had been somehow spared during the butchering of the rest of her jeans. If only they had been cut off and our fashion sensibility had been spared instead.
Note to the world: cutoffs with the pockets hanging out below the hem line are neither alright nor okay.
And that brings us to the song itself. In another apparent attempt to be Ashlee Simpson, "It's Alright, It's Okay" is a piece of crazy catchy pop-punk that's almost saccharine enough to give you a toothache. The lyrics are far from profound, making it the identical cousin of every other semi-former Disney girl breakout attempt that has been released in the past five years. Its thrashing guitars during the chorus are pleasant enough, but halfway through the chorus, you expect it to turn into "So What" by Pink.
It's alright, okay
I'm so much better without you
I won't be sorry...
So, so what, I am a rock star
I got my rock moves and I don't want you tonight
Every time, I expect her to start singing "So What," and every time she disappoints me.
I know that accusing popstars of ripping off each other's songs leads down a dangerous, slippery slope that even the U.S. legal system dares not tread because halfway to an out-of-court settlement, you realize that there are only so many three chord combinations possible. But really, "It's Alright, It's Okay" sounds like "So What" 's baby sister that tries to replicate her cool older sister's wardrobe with clothes from Club Libby Lu. The result? A toothless yet thrashing girl-powered ode to not needing a man... that utterly lacks conviction.
The song is fun enough to dominate the Radio Disney charts until the Jonas Brothers' new album comes out (oops, too late), but it's still now as good as the best songs from Ashley's last album, to pop gem - okay, that's overstating it; more like sugar crystal - "He Said She Said" and the hilarious piece of ironic social commentary "Not Like That." (excerpt from lyrics: "I'm a normal girl like you who hates clubbing because all those plebes are so effing jealous of my fabulousness")(excerpt may have been paraphrased). I love that song. It's the most danceable piece of ironic social commentary after Millionaires' "Hey Rich Boy" (excerpt from lyrics: Boys if you want girls like me, flash that cash where we can see. You think I want that ice cold money - well, hell yeah, it's fucking yummy!) and Lady Gaga's "Just Dance" (excerpt from lyrics: "I am soooo wasted. Date rape me, Colby!")(Lady Gaga lyrics paraphrased. Millionaires lyrics unaltered.)(No, really, look them up...)(Told you so.)
I'd say Ashley Tisdale's post-High School Musical future is looking even dimmer than Vanessa Hudgens', whose upcoming movie Bandslam looks about as good as any movie whose working title was Rock On! can be expected to look. But hopefully, both these girls' careers will last longer than the cutoff-jeans-with-dangling-pockets look will. Hopefully that look ended, like, right after Ashley's performance.
You can watch the performance and chat with a Good Morning America guy here, at least until ABC catches on to the fact that the person who posted the video probably doesn't own the copyrights to it.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
2009's Perfect{opop} Summer Playlist
Ah, the sounds of summer. Birds chirping, cicadas buzzing, air conditioners whirring... oh yeah, and all the sounds blaring from your radio and ipod. With concerts on weeknights (no such thing as a school night - w00t!), concerts at theme parks (gotta love Six Flags' freebies), concerts that take all day to drive to and all night to drive home (how far is Bristol? who cares?!), and lots of time to browse MySpace Music, summer's the perfect time to check out some new tunes.
Only time will tell which of this summer's songs will be the most memorable, but here are my predictions of 12 songs from the soundtrack of this summer:
The Top 40 Dominatrix:
Yeah, it's that song that you'll hear again and again on the radio, at the mall, in your friend's car, until you hate it. Then love it. Then hate it even more. This summer's airwaves are expected to be a battleground between defending champ Lady Gaga, the resurgent Kelly Clarkson, and the new staple Katy Perry, but my choice for Top 40's song of the summer is
"I Do Not Hook Up" by Kelly Clarkson (video)
The Song to Dance to All Night Long:
I know, I know, bloggers flock to Black Kids' alt dance tunes like mosquitoes are drawn to bug zappers... Wait, no, Black Kids are way more effective than bug zappers. Even if this boldly named multiracial indie band has been the blogosphere's sweethearts since long before summer 2009, their so-retro-it's-cutting-edge synth jams are the perfect fit for parties this summer. Fun, funky, hip, and undeniably danceable. Make sure no DJ is without
"I've Underestimated My Charm Again" by Black Kids
(Bonus! Check out this crazy video of the song set to scenes from Mystery Science Theater's classic Manos: The Hands of Fate. Though it lags at times, overall, this fan-made's as much fun as anything the band could cook up.)
The Song with "Summer" in the Title:
It may seem a bit tacky, but you know you're a sucker for cheesy songs that scream "IT'S SUMMER!!!!" at the tops of their lungs. There must be at least one on every playlist. And while the radio stations are aching to ride discosticks, try a lesser-known song by today's queen of Top 40:
"Summerboy" by Lady Gaga
The Other Song With "Summer" in the Title:
Yeah, two songs dropping the s-bomb (summer, that is) verges on totally tacky, but this summer's playlist could not be complete without something by The Academy Is... Their last album's late August release date prevented us from dancing to it at the beach for most of last summer. You may have heard it at Warped Tour last year, but this year, make up for lost time by rocking out to the album's toe-tapping jam,
"Summer Hair = Forever Young" by The Academy Is...
Your New Summer Loves:
A lot of great albums have come out in the past year, but you can't spend all summer listening to the same songs you've been hearing all school year. The perfect addition to your pop collection? Take It to the Floor by Cash Cash. While you were busy studying, the most adorable Jersey boys since the JoBros were touring with the likes of Kevin Rudolph and Cobra Starship. Their lead single "Party in Your Bedroom" is just now hitting the airwaves in most places, along with its much buzzed-about video. The boys' sunny dance-pop songs will get you more sugar-high than a visit to the ice cream man, so taste the candy-coated track
"Sugar Rush" by Cash Cash
The Song You'll Have Stuck in Your Head for Days - and Love Every Minute of It:
In the winter, people worry about catching the flu. In the summer, they worry about the plethora of catchy songs churned out by Disney Channel and it affiliates. You either love 'em or you love to hate 'em. This year, you can still hear plenty of catchy new tunes on JONAS and the upcoming Hannah Montana 3 CD, but I think this summer is already saturated with JoBros tunes. So if you're looking for a pop song that'll have you bouncing off the walls, turn off the TV for a sec and get your sugar rush from an unaffiliated singer like Owl City. The lead single from his upcoming album Ocean Eyes is just as catchy and whimsical as the songs on any kids' show.
"Hot Air Balloon" by Owl City
The Song to Have a Picnic to:
I know everyone loves a sweet love song, but put the Jason Mraz album down and step away from the boombox. I for one have heard "I'm Yours" enough times in the past few months to last ten summers. Summer's a great time to branch out and listen to some new sweeties, like my personal fave NeverShoutNever. If the songs he's leaked so far are any indication, his upcoming release The Summer EP should be the quintessential soundtrack to the season. This track will make your heart melt more quickly than a popsicle dropped on the hot pavement:
"Hummingbird" by NeverShoutNever!
The Song to Chill by the Pool with:
The founders of Bishop Allen may be Harvard grads, but their music is a fun escape from academic tedium. A little string-filled eccentric, a little coffee-sipping hipster, and a lot of fun, you gotta check out
"Dimmer" by Bishop Allen
The Song to Blast in the Car:
What, no new release by Rooney this year? Since their next album is still in the works, I guess we can't rely on blasting any of their retro powerpop tunes from our stereos this summer... They're my fun car trip staples, but since I've listened to "When Did Your Heart Go Missing?" more times than any sane person should, I think it's time to take a break. Digging back into the pile of CD's under the dashboard, I suggest you try some of Relient K's older tunes. All the retro fun of Rooney with more eccentric lyrics. (Remember "Marilyn Manson ate my girlfriend"? It's kind of unforgettable...) I don't need a magazine to tell me I'm still in love with
"17 Magazine" by Relient K
The Slightly Guilty Pleasure:
It's summer. Blast that song you can't believe you love from your stereo and live a little... You saw Glee, right? No? Then you'd best hop over to its website and check out the pilot. It's like if they remade High School Musical with good writing, interesting adult characters, and better music, including a fantastic rendition of the Journey classic
"Don't Stop Believing" by the cast of Glee
The Crazy Rocker:
You know you downloaded it illegally. Or you're going to in about 5 seconds. I'll make it even easier by linking to a video with the download link. With a title like this, you gotta expect great things from
"Pete Wentz is the Only Reason We're Famous" by Cobra Starship
The Sneak Attack:
You know how earlier, I advised everyone to pass up the Jonas Brothers' pop fluff this summer? That would be because the JoBros have so many better songs to offer. With horns and some pretty rockin' guitars, I think these Disney boys are actually able to pull off a song titled "World War III." Really. I love 'em, but I never thought they'd have it in 'em. Based on the 30-second preview alone, I think this song could fight its way to the top of any respectable playlist:
"World War III" by the Jonas Brothers
Well, that should at least give you a good headstart on your summer playlist. I guess we'll just have to wait and see which songs zoom up to the top of your Most Played list and which fail to launch...
and enjoy the summer :)
Only time will tell which of this summer's songs will be the most memorable, but here are my predictions of 12 songs from the soundtrack of this summer:
The Top 40 Dominatrix:
Yeah, it's that song that you'll hear again and again on the radio, at the mall, in your friend's car, until you hate it. Then love it. Then hate it even more. This summer's airwaves are expected to be a battleground between defending champ Lady Gaga, the resurgent Kelly Clarkson, and the new staple Katy Perry, but my choice for Top 40's song of the summer is
"I Do Not Hook Up" by Kelly Clarkson (video)
The Song to Dance to All Night Long:
I know, I know, bloggers flock to Black Kids' alt dance tunes like mosquitoes are drawn to bug zappers... Wait, no, Black Kids are way more effective than bug zappers. Even if this boldly named multiracial indie band has been the blogosphere's sweethearts since long before summer 2009, their so-retro-it's-cutting-edge synth jams are the perfect fit for parties this summer. Fun, funky, hip, and undeniably danceable. Make sure no DJ is without
"I've Underestimated My Charm Again" by Black Kids
(Bonus! Check out this crazy video of the song set to scenes from Mystery Science Theater's classic Manos: The Hands of Fate. Though it lags at times, overall, this fan-made's as much fun as anything the band could cook up.)
The Song with "Summer" in the Title:
It may seem a bit tacky, but you know you're a sucker for cheesy songs that scream "IT'S SUMMER!!!!" at the tops of their lungs. There must be at least one on every playlist. And while the radio stations are aching to ride discosticks, try a lesser-known song by today's queen of Top 40:
"Summerboy" by Lady Gaga
The Other Song With "Summer" in the Title:
Yeah, two songs dropping the s-bomb (summer, that is) verges on totally tacky, but this summer's playlist could not be complete without something by The Academy Is... Their last album's late August release date prevented us from dancing to it at the beach for most of last summer. You may have heard it at Warped Tour last year, but this year, make up for lost time by rocking out to the album's toe-tapping jam,
"Summer Hair = Forever Young" by The Academy Is...
Your New Summer Loves:
A lot of great albums have come out in the past year, but you can't spend all summer listening to the same songs you've been hearing all school year. The perfect addition to your pop collection? Take It to the Floor by Cash Cash. While you were busy studying, the most adorable Jersey boys since the JoBros were touring with the likes of Kevin Rudolph and Cobra Starship. Their lead single "Party in Your Bedroom" is just now hitting the airwaves in most places, along with its much buzzed-about video. The boys' sunny dance-pop songs will get you more sugar-high than a visit to the ice cream man, so taste the candy-coated track
"Sugar Rush" by Cash Cash
The Song You'll Have Stuck in Your Head for Days - and Love Every Minute of It:
In the winter, people worry about catching the flu. In the summer, they worry about the plethora of catchy songs churned out by Disney Channel and it affiliates. You either love 'em or you love to hate 'em. This year, you can still hear plenty of catchy new tunes on JONAS and the upcoming Hannah Montana 3 CD, but I think this summer is already saturated with JoBros tunes. So if you're looking for a pop song that'll have you bouncing off the walls, turn off the TV for a sec and get your sugar rush from an unaffiliated singer like Owl City. The lead single from his upcoming album Ocean Eyes is just as catchy and whimsical as the songs on any kids' show.
"Hot Air Balloon" by Owl City
The Song to Have a Picnic to:
I know everyone loves a sweet love song, but put the Jason Mraz album down and step away from the boombox. I for one have heard "I'm Yours" enough times in the past few months to last ten summers. Summer's a great time to branch out and listen to some new sweeties, like my personal fave NeverShoutNever. If the songs he's leaked so far are any indication, his upcoming release The Summer EP should be the quintessential soundtrack to the season. This track will make your heart melt more quickly than a popsicle dropped on the hot pavement:
"Hummingbird" by NeverShoutNever!
The Song to Chill by the Pool with:
The founders of Bishop Allen may be Harvard grads, but their music is a fun escape from academic tedium. A little string-filled eccentric, a little coffee-sipping hipster, and a lot of fun, you gotta check out
"Dimmer" by Bishop Allen
The Song to Blast in the Car:
What, no new release by Rooney this year? Since their next album is still in the works, I guess we can't rely on blasting any of their retro powerpop tunes from our stereos this summer... They're my fun car trip staples, but since I've listened to "When Did Your Heart Go Missing?" more times than any sane person should, I think it's time to take a break. Digging back into the pile of CD's under the dashboard, I suggest you try some of Relient K's older tunes. All the retro fun of Rooney with more eccentric lyrics. (Remember "Marilyn Manson ate my girlfriend"? It's kind of unforgettable...) I don't need a magazine to tell me I'm still in love with
"17 Magazine" by Relient K
The Slightly Guilty Pleasure:
It's summer. Blast that song you can't believe you love from your stereo and live a little... You saw Glee, right? No? Then you'd best hop over to its website and check out the pilot. It's like if they remade High School Musical with good writing, interesting adult characters, and better music, including a fantastic rendition of the Journey classic
"Don't Stop Believing" by the cast of Glee
The Crazy Rocker:
You know you downloaded it illegally. Or you're going to in about 5 seconds. I'll make it even easier by linking to a video with the download link. With a title like this, you gotta expect great things from
"Pete Wentz is the Only Reason We're Famous" by Cobra Starship
The Sneak Attack:
You know how earlier, I advised everyone to pass up the Jonas Brothers' pop fluff this summer? That would be because the JoBros have so many better songs to offer. With horns and some pretty rockin' guitars, I think these Disney boys are actually able to pull off a song titled "World War III." Really. I love 'em, but I never thought they'd have it in 'em. Based on the 30-second preview alone, I think this song could fight its way to the top of any respectable playlist:
"World War III" by the Jonas Brothers
Well, that should at least give you a good headstart on your summer playlist. I guess we'll just have to wait and see which songs zoom up to the top of your Most Played list and which fail to launch...
and enjoy the summer :)
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
A Sunny Break from a Humdrum Day
Yet Another Reason to Adore NeverShoutNever:
Just when you need a break from the humdrum routine of studying for APs, finals, or whatever madness your blind teachers throw at you (can't they see how gorgeous and sunny it is these days? really...)(well, not today specifically, but in general...), NSN releases a marvelous little ray of sunshine in mp3 format. Flit on over to his PureVolume to download his new song "Hummingbird" for free today through Monday.
Also, watch out for NSN's soon-to-be-announced national tour and new EP (aptly titled The Summer EP) coming out June 23rd. If this track is representative of the EP, I predict the songs on it will vying with "Summerboy" by Lady Gaga to be my favorite super-summery-sounding song this year.
...All this talk about humming makes me crave some Hey Nick, Hummus a Tune in all its "creamy, garlicky goodness." If you haven't seen all the delectable dishes named after the JoBros in DisneyChannel.com's JONAS VIP Party Pack, you should check them out. I think they're funnier than the show...
Just when you need a break from the humdrum routine of studying for APs, finals, or whatever madness your blind teachers throw at you (can't they see how gorgeous and sunny it is these days? really...)(well, not today specifically, but in general...), NSN releases a marvelous little ray of sunshine in mp3 format. Flit on over to his PureVolume to download his new song "Hummingbird" for free today through Monday.
Also, watch out for NSN's soon-to-be-announced national tour and new EP (aptly titled The Summer EP) coming out June 23rd. If this track is representative of the EP, I predict the songs on it will vying with "Summerboy" by Lady Gaga to be my favorite super-summery-sounding song this year.
...All this talk about humming makes me crave some Hey Nick, Hummus a Tune in all its "creamy, garlicky goodness." If you haven't seen all the delectable dishes named after the JoBros in DisneyChannel.com's JONAS VIP Party Pack, you should check them out. I think they're funnier than the show...
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Your Dream Spring 2009 Concert Schedule
Well boys and girls, it's that magical time of year again. That time in the dead of winter when people start opening their hearts and their wallets, when kids get down on their knees and beg their parents to give them what they want, when parents start freaking out about what exactly it is their kids want... Yes, it's the time when bands announce their spring tours.
This weekend is a great time to buy tickets (Quick! Fall Out Boy tickets have been on sale for over 5 hours!!!!), so I've decided to try to give you the best possible list of acts coming to the DC area over the next 4 months (sorry, rest of the world, I can't do everything...)
Now, coaches always say it's important to stay in shape during the off-season, so I think everyone should take their advice and practice their best moves at the Millionaires concert at Rock n Roll Hotel on Thursday, February 5th. My newest favorite pop act Cash Cash will be opening for the girls, along with I Set My Friends on Fire and Watchout! There's Ghosts. I think this show might actually be considered a comedy performance rather than music; those Millionaires girls are always laughable. And with a name like the Just Got Paid, Let's Get's Laid Tour, you KNOW it's gonna be a party.
[I will spend the night listening to my Cash Cash CD and crying my eyes out because my parents won't let me out on school nights (plus it's called the Just Got Paid, Let's Get's Laid Tour), so if you attend, please try your hardest to meet the guys from Cash Cash and tell them Meredith thinks they're the coolest kids ever and would like to ask for all of their hands in marriage; they can play rock-paper-scissors or whatever to decide who gets her.]
And for those of us who need a winter pick-me-up that's not on a weeknight, Ludo will be at Rock n Roll Hotel on Friday, February 20th. I've never actually bothered to listen to any of their music, but I've heard good things about their set when they toured with Relient K last year.
Another Friday night option is Ben Folds, performing at George Washington University on Friday the 13th of February (a good alternative for those of us who don't think we can stomach Valentine's Day weekend's gooey rom-coms/crazy gory Friday-the-13th slasher flicks). I'm having trouble finding specific ticket info - the show isn't listed on his official site - but I saw it on Eventful...
Ben will also be playing at Ram's Head Live! in Baltimore on the 12th, if there are any hardcore piano rock fans who want to see him twice.
All you hipsters had better mark your calendars for The Ting Tings' show at the 9:30 Club on Friday, March 20th. Or maybe you hipsters will sneer about how you already caught them there in July when they were, like, still cool in an unknown kinda way.
But my friend and I will still be in attendance, hoping to squash the stereotype that no one dances at cool DC indie shows. Because kids who are too cool to dance aren't cool at all.
The real hipsters might be holding out for Cut Copy, coming to the 9:30 Club just 3 days after the Ting Tings (that's Monday, March 23rd, for you non-math whizzes). Matt and Kim will be performing that night as well. Never heard of them before, but their name brings to mind a certain NBC Thursday night sitcom...
After all these indie shows, I'd advise you to take a dip in the mainstream, just to make sure you can remember what Top 40 sounds like. And where better to find mainstream Top 40 pop than at a Britney Spears or Pussycat Dolls concert? You Britney fans are in luck because The Circus Starring Britney Spears 2009 North American Tour is hitting the Verizon Center on Tuesday, March 24th. [I guess the Pussycat Dolls are just a sideshow act?] iLike sent me an email saying tix are still available! (I was tempted to reply with a little WTF??!)
If Britney tix are a bit out of your price range, you could always see new Top 40 dance darling Lady Gaga at 9:30 Club on Thursday, April 2nd. No, wait, actually, you couldn't. Her show's already sold out.
Similarly, if you're going to see Katy Perry at the 9:30 Club on Friday, April 10th, you probably already knew she was coming. Hopefully you did, since all the tickets for that show sold out about 5 seconds after they went on sale. Or at least in the same weekend. 5 seconds, 48 hours, same diff for us soft-core Katy fans.
For those of you hoping for a bit more of a rock show (just a bit), I've said it before and I'll say it again: Craig Owens of Chiodos, Ace Enders, The Color Fred, and VersaEmerge will be at Ottobar in Baltimore on Thursday, April 9th. It's not quite as hot as the Katy tickets, but it's been pretty buzzed-about.
I've also already mentioned NeverShoutNever!'s two upcoming shows, one in West Springfield, VA, the other in Towson. I'd check it out in my previous posts if I were you. [Then I'd wonder if I just used "my" correctly since I said I'd do it if I were you, and they're not your posts...]
I think this Dream Concert Schedule is getting nightmare-ishly long, so I'll close it (for now) with what may be the hottest concert here: the Believers Never Die Part Deux tour, featuring Fall Out Boy, Cobra Starship, Metro Station, and Hey Monday! It'll be taking the Merriweather Post Pavilion by storm on Saturday, April 25th. Since I'm not too fond of FOB, I'm cringing at the $36 ticket price (no cheap-o lawn seats? really?) but it may be worth it to see my fave Gossip Girl fan, Gabe Saporta... or I could just sit in the parking lot hoping he makes good on his kick-it-in-the-parking lot promises in his blog.
Oh, and if you're one of those kids who isn't allowed to go to concerts, don't despair too much... The Jonas Brothers 3D movie (coming at ya February 27th) will give you way better seats than I had when I was on the lawn for their show at the Nissan Pavilion last year :)
This weekend is a great time to buy tickets (Quick! Fall Out Boy tickets have been on sale for over 5 hours!!!!), so I've decided to try to give you the best possible list of acts coming to the DC area over the next 4 months (sorry, rest of the world, I can't do everything...)
Now, coaches always say it's important to stay in shape during the off-season, so I think everyone should take their advice and practice their best moves at the Millionaires concert at Rock n Roll Hotel on Thursday, February 5th. My newest favorite pop act Cash Cash will be opening for the girls, along with I Set My Friends on Fire and Watchout! There's Ghosts. I think this show might actually be considered a comedy performance rather than music; those Millionaires girls are always laughable. And with a name like the Just Got Paid, Let's Get's Laid Tour, you KNOW it's gonna be a party.
[I will spend the night listening to my Cash Cash CD and crying my eyes out because my parents won't let me out on school nights (plus it's called the Just Got Paid, Let's Get's Laid Tour), so if you attend, please try your hardest to meet the guys from Cash Cash and tell them Meredith thinks they're the coolest kids ever and would like to ask for all of their hands in marriage; they can play rock-paper-scissors or whatever to decide who gets her.]
And for those of us who need a winter pick-me-up that's not on a weeknight, Ludo will be at Rock n Roll Hotel on Friday, February 20th. I've never actually bothered to listen to any of their music, but I've heard good things about their set when they toured with Relient K last year.
Another Friday night option is Ben Folds, performing at George Washington University on Friday the 13th of February (a good alternative for those of us who don't think we can stomach Valentine's Day weekend's gooey rom-coms/crazy gory Friday-the-13th slasher flicks). I'm having trouble finding specific ticket info - the show isn't listed on his official site - but I saw it on Eventful...
Ben will also be playing at Ram's Head Live! in Baltimore on the 12th, if there are any hardcore piano rock fans who want to see him twice.
All you hipsters had better mark your calendars for The Ting Tings' show at the 9:30 Club on Friday, March 20th. Or maybe you hipsters will sneer about how you already caught them there in July when they were, like, still cool in an unknown kinda way.
But my friend and I will still be in attendance, hoping to squash the stereotype that no one dances at cool DC indie shows. Because kids who are too cool to dance aren't cool at all.
The real hipsters might be holding out for Cut Copy, coming to the 9:30 Club just 3 days after the Ting Tings (that's Monday, March 23rd, for you non-math whizzes). Matt and Kim will be performing that night as well. Never heard of them before, but their name brings to mind a certain NBC Thursday night sitcom...
After all these indie shows, I'd advise you to take a dip in the mainstream, just to make sure you can remember what Top 40 sounds like. And where better to find mainstream Top 40 pop than at a Britney Spears or Pussycat Dolls concert? You Britney fans are in luck because The Circus Starring Britney Spears 2009 North American Tour is hitting the Verizon Center on Tuesday, March 24th. [I guess the Pussycat Dolls are just a sideshow act?] iLike sent me an email saying tix are still available! (I was tempted to reply with a little WTF??!)
If Britney tix are a bit out of your price range, you could always see new Top 40 dance darling Lady Gaga at 9:30 Club on Thursday, April 2nd. No, wait, actually, you couldn't. Her show's already sold out.
Similarly, if you're going to see Katy Perry at the 9:30 Club on Friday, April 10th, you probably already knew she was coming. Hopefully you did, since all the tickets for that show sold out about 5 seconds after they went on sale. Or at least in the same weekend. 5 seconds, 48 hours, same diff for us soft-core Katy fans.
For those of you hoping for a bit more of a rock show (just a bit), I've said it before and I'll say it again: Craig Owens of Chiodos, Ace Enders, The Color Fred, and VersaEmerge will be at Ottobar in Baltimore on Thursday, April 9th. It's not quite as hot as the Katy tickets, but it's been pretty buzzed-about.
I've also already mentioned NeverShoutNever!'s two upcoming shows, one in West Springfield, VA, the other in Towson. I'd check it out in my previous posts if I were you. [Then I'd wonder if I just used "my" correctly since I said I'd do it if I were you, and they're not your posts...]
I think this Dream Concert Schedule is getting nightmare-ishly long, so I'll close it (for now) with what may be the hottest concert here: the Believers Never Die Part Deux tour, featuring Fall Out Boy, Cobra Starship, Metro Station, and Hey Monday! It'll be taking the Merriweather Post Pavilion by storm on Saturday, April 25th. Since I'm not too fond of FOB, I'm cringing at the $36 ticket price (no cheap-o lawn seats? really?) but it may be worth it to see my fave Gossip Girl fan, Gabe Saporta... or I could just sit in the parking lot hoping he makes good on his kick-it-in-the-parking lot promises in his blog.
Oh, and if you're one of those kids who isn't allowed to go to concerts, don't despair too much... The Jonas Brothers 3D movie (coming at ya February 27th) will give you way better seats than I had when I was on the lawn for their show at the Nissan Pavilion last year :)
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